PORT ANGELES — Rhonda Curry, a key administrator at Olympic Medical Center and community leader, has a new job in Bellingham.

Her last day as OMC's assistant administrator of strategic development is today (Oct. 26)

Beginning Nov. 5, Curry, 50, will be director of marketing and communications for the PeaceHealth NW Network of Care and will be based at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham.

PeaceHealth, headquartered in Vancouver, Wash., and Catholic Health Initiatives, based in Englewood, Colo., recently signed a letter of intent to create a large new regional health care organization.

The partnership between the two health care operations will combine Catholic Health Initiatives's seven hospitals in Washington and Oregon with PeaceHealth's nine hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska, and create an organization with annual revenues of almost $4 billion.

Curry's move has been in the works for some time, and she will commute between Port Angeles and Bellingham indefinitely, staying during the week in a condo in Bellingham.

She and her husband, Tom, have a home in Port Angeles plus local business interests: Barhop Brewing and the Barhop Taproom.

They also manage the Maasailand Health Project for Africa, a medical charity that fights malaria in Tanzania.

They began it after taking a vacation trip to Africa.

“It is with equal parts sadness and excitement I depart for this new career adventure,” she said.

“Port Angeles and OMC have been so incredibly good to me and my family.

“It has been a wonderful community to raise three children and to work, live and play.”

Said Eric Lewis, CEO of Olympic Medical Center:

“Her leadership in the areas of marketing, public relations, strategic planning, legislative advocacy, physician relations and grant development has helped OMC achieve many successes.

“Rhonda reinvented OMC's Strategic Plan into a document and process that we rely on heavily and refer to continuously.”

Chamber president

Curry was president of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2007 and is a former board member of the Peninsula College Foundation.

She has been involved with United Way of Clallam County, Port Angeles School District committees, OMC Foundation, OMC Wellness Committee and the medical center's many community events, such as the annual Heart Health Luncheon.

She joined OMC in 2000 as director of public relations and marketing after working as administrator of Laurel Park Assisted Living in Port Angeles.

She left to become executive director of the Peninsula College Foundation in 2005, returning to OMC as an executive in 2007.

She holds degrees from Gonzaga University, St. Joseph's College of Maine and Peninsula College.